The President’s Prize, Gold Axe awards and the Distinguished Senior awards for the Class of 2025 were honored at a ceremony on April 22. President José Luis Cruz Rivera, in presenting the awards, highlighted the accomplishments, service and scholarship of the class as he recognized students from each college.
The students came from a pool of applicants selected by the Office of Leadership & Engagement. The program is co-sponsored by the Office of the President, NAU Alumni and ASNAU. This year’s class is composed of 47 Gold Axe winners, including six President’s Prize winners—the highest honor awarded to undergraduate students. Additionally, 10 students were honored as Distinguished Seniors of their colleges.
President Cruz Rivera highlighted the challenges, resilience, hard work and joy that marked each of these students’ academic journeys.
“They are exceptional role models who have excelled in their studies and committed to serving others, using all that they have learned to shape a brighter future,” he said of the class. “Through their accomplishments, they are the NAU story.”
The President’s Prize winners are:
- Parris Adams, a hotel and restaurant management major who is a member of the Honors College and a Flinn Scholar who is president of the Black Student Union, which enabled her to collaborate with partners throughout campus and taught her how to lead, motivate people and work with various populations
- Emily Delabarra, a first-generation student and social work major who is a member of the Honors College and a Flinn Scholar who was a community assistant and global ambassador. She participated in the DreamBuilder program, which helped her finalize her LLC and finish a business plan
- Chiara Holgate, a fitness wellness major and an Indigenous ambassador and Indige-Peer mentor who won the Udall Undergraduate Scholarship in 2024 and the National Cobell Scholarship. She completed three internships that introduced her to advanced research methodologies and allowed her to present research at conferences
- Viviana Mendoza, a fitness wellness major who represented NAU at the Southwest American College of Sports Medicine annual meeting, helped increase student involvement as a Get Involved ambassador, worked for NAU Athletics and was president of Kappa Delta Chi
- Karli VanderMeersch, a psychological sciences major, member of the Honors College and ASNAU president who focused her efforts on supporting student voter initiatives and also participated in Mock Trial, Model UN, the Research Assistant Mentoring Program and undergraduate research through the Hooper Undergraduate Research Award
- Guillermo Vazquez, a first-generation biology and chemistry double major who worked as a Supplemental Instruction leader, did science demonstrations at local elementary schools and participated in the National Science Foundation-sponsored Research Experiences for Undergrads program at the University of North Dakota
The Distinguished Seniors are: Amanda Emery, College of Arts and Letters; Zoe Clyde, College of Education; Reese Simonetta, College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences; Niah Nieuwenhuis, College of Health and Human Services; Avery Bowman, College of Nursing; Tate Knowles, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences; Timothy Lehto, NAU Online; Lianne Andre, NAU Yuma; Alyssa Ortiz, Steve Sanghi College of Engineering; and Lenora Argomaniz, The W. A. Franke College of Business.
Each college also represents an outstanding graduate to carry its standard into the commencement ceremony. This year, the standard bearers are: Alexandra Williams, College of Arts and Letters; Kenna Kieckbusch, College of Education; Mariessa Fowler, College of the Environment, Forestry, and Natural Sciences; Niah Nieuwenhuis, College of Health and Human Services; Peighton Gellings, College of Nursing; Alaina Bishop, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences; Jeremy Clark, NAU Yuma; Ava English, Steve Sanghi College of Engineering; and Tracy Castillo, The W. A. Franke College of Business.
Gold Axe winners
Distinguished Seniors
Standard bearers
